Don’t miss the train… Agile In Name Only
Agile In Name Only is so common it is known by its acronym, AINO. I’ve been teaching Agile courses for a number of years and many of them address this topic of being Agile in name only. I’ve been asked why is it so common. Firstly, I think part of it is a lack of knowledge and understanding of what it means to be Agile. Agile is a set of principles and practices; it is a mindset or an approach – it is not a method.
I know something is wrong when someone tells me they are using Agile, and when I ask them which method they are using they don’t really understand the question. Just this morning I was asked, “Which is better, Agile or Scrum?”, which in a similar way could be asked, “Which is better, fruit or an apple?” Obviously, this question does not make sense since Scrum is one of the Agile methods. These types of misnomers are unfortunately all too common in the Agile landscape today… I am finding more and more a lack of understanding about what it means to be Agile.
I think this is a big factor in why so many organizations are Agile in Name Only… I think another reason for this, is that we don’t want to miss the train… Agile is coming (like a train) into many industries and spaces. It is showing up everywhere, and the people don’t want to miss the Agile train. “What happens if I miss that train? Where will I be…?”, is the concern that I often hear… This is a very real concern for companies and even individuals. I know a number of project managers who are quite skilled at traditional project management and are very worried about their job because of the onset and increased expansion of Agile in the workplace. They are worried where they will fit in and want to make sure they learn now and get certified in Agile so that they don’t miss the agile train.
If you want to make sure you’re not doing AINO (Agile In Name Only), make sure that you’re educated on the Agile mindset and in the method that you are choosing to implement. If you simply pick a number of agile practices without making sure you’re following the principles and values of Agile, as per the Agile Manifesto, you may find yourself being Agile In Name Only. Spare yourself from this by getting a good education and a valuable certification to support your skills in Agile.
If you are interested in learning more about Agile and the Agile mindset/ approach or how this relates to the PMI-ACP certification, please attend my free webinar, or consider registering for the PMI-ACP certification prep course which I teach for PMO Advisory.
PMO Advisory Instructor, Susan Parente – Risk Management Guru – Agile Generalist
This article was authored by Susan Parente, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM, CSPO, PSM I, CISSP, CRISC, PMI-RMP, RESILIA, ITIL, MS Eng. Mgmt. Susan Parente is an instructor at PMO Advisory, an Associate Professor at Post University, Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University, and a Lecturer at the University of Virginia. She is an author, mentor and teacher focused on risk management, along with traditional and Agile project management. Her experience is augmented by her Masters in Engineering Management with a focus in Marketing of Technology from George Washington University, DC, along with a number of professional certifications. Ms. Parente has 20+ years’ experience leading software and business development projects in the private and public sectors, including a decade of experience implementing IT projects for the DoD.